Villagers in Phitsanulok’s Noen Maprang district made attempts yesterday (October 17) to rescue a young elephant that was stuck in a muddy canal after being swept away by flash flooding.

They believe they young wild elephant is from the Thung Salang Luang National Park having been caught in the flood waters and carried away from its mother.

Villagers discovered the elephant almost completely underwater using its truck as a snorkel to breathe early on Tuesday morning.

By the afternoon it was apparent that the large animal was tired and unable to get out of the Chompu Canal.

Lieng Nuamoun, 60, a former elephant rider, donned a life jacket and attempted to try and get a rope round the stranded elephant but it responded angrily as you probably would after being stuck in cold muddy water for hours resulting in Lieng having to abandon his rescue attempt.

At this time effort to rescue the stranded elephant are still ongoing.